Mangaluru civic body accused of executing ‘unscientific and people-unfriendly’ works

Social activist Gopalakrishna Bhat says waste of public money by the civic body is deplorable

Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) is developing the Mangaladevi Circle at Jeppu. There are concerns that the circle will obstruct the view of motorists as well as pedestrians.  | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) is already accused of executing unscientific and people-unfriendly projects, but appears to be committing another blunder in the development of Mangaladevi Circle at Jeppu. The work is being executed in a manner so as to completely obstruct the view of drivers in the rotary circle.

Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. (MSCL), while concreting the road from Mangaladevi temple to first railway bridge, had laid a high-mast light, which functioned as the circle before the development. The beautification work, however, is being undertaken by MCC, said sources in MSCL.

Retired superintending engineer with Public Works Department B.S. Balakrishna said, as per the Indian Road Congress norms, any rotary circle should be 1.2 metre below the eye-sight of a driver approaching the circle. The Mangaladevi Circle appears to be more than 4 metres above ground level and about 3 metres from a driver’s point of view. This is highly unscientific and putts motorists as well as pedestrians in grave danger, Mr. Balakrishna said.

Mangaladevi Circle witnesses considerable vehicular movement since it connects the city with southern parts of Mangaluru, including National Highway 66 towards Kerala.

Mayor Premananda Shetty defended the work saying architects associated with the beautification have told that the work would not obstruct drivers’ view.

Trial and error at State Bank

In another instance of wrong engineering, Mangaluru City Corporation erected a couple of passenger shelters at a height of at least 15 feet above the ground while developing the State Bank Terminal with a concrete tarmac at an estimated cost of ₹4.2 crore.

Mangaluru City Corporation developed the State Bank Terminal with concrete tarmac at an estimated cost of ₹4.2 crore. | Photo Credit: MANJUNATH HS

Social activist Gopalakrishna Bhat said the shelters would not offer any protection to passengers either from the rain or from the sun. It is nothing but sheer waste of public money, he claimed.

Mayor Premananda explained that the two existing models, that were aimed at offering shelter for buses too, would not be made permanent. Another model, at a lower height to offer shelter exclusively to passengers, would soon be installed and tested, he said.